Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State has announced that the US plans to co-organise with Poland a global conference on the situation in the Middle East, especially Iran.

The move is the latest step in the Trump administration’s pursuit of what it calls a “pressure campaign” against Iran that included withdrawing from the Iran nuclear agreement and restoring sanctions the US had once lifted as part of the deal.

“We’ll bring together dozens of countries from all around the world” said Mr Pompeo. The conference will focus on “Middle East stability, peace, freedom and security...and that includes an important element of making sure Iran is not a destabilizing element” added the Secretary of State.

The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in its statement that the conference is part of the ever-closer alliance Poland has with the USA. Nevertheless , Poland has not, so far, challenged the EU policy of supporting the Iran nuclear deal and has been coy about supporting the US policy of sanctions on Iran.

In a separate development, news has emerged that a decision on the nature of a future permanent US military presence in Poland is to be decided on at the beginning of March. Today Poland also woke up to news that a Chinese man has been detained, suspected of serious espionage offences. Both these developments are also regarded as examples of growing convergence in foreign policy approaches between Poland and the US.